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Review
. 2018 Dec 10;5(4):130.
doi: 10.3390/medicines5040130.

Kampo (Traditional Japanese Herbal) Formulae for Treatment of Stomatitis and Oral Mucositis

Masataka Sunagawa  1 , Kojiro Yamaguchi  2 , Mana Tsukada  3 , Nachi Ebihara  4 , Hideshi Ikemoto  5 , Tadashi Hisamitsu  6
Affiliations
Review

Kampo (Traditional Japanese Herbal) Formulae for Treatment of Stomatitis and Oral Mucositis

Masataka Sunagawa et al. Medicines (Basel). .

Abstract

Stomatitis is occasionally multiple, recurrent, and refractory. Currently, mucositis induced by chemotherapy and radiation therapy in patients with cancer has become a significant clinical problem. Effective treatments have not been established and the treatment of numerous cases remains a challenge for physicians. Traditional Japanese herbal medicines termed Kampo formulae (i.e., Hangeshashinto, Orengedokuto, Inchinkoto, Orento, Byakkokaninjinto, Juzentaihoto, Hochuekkito, and Shosaikoto) are used for treating various types of stomatitis and mucositis. Its use has been based on the Kampo medical theories-empirical rules established over thousands of years. However, recently, clinical and basic research studies investigating these formulae have been conducted to obtain scientific evidence. Clinical studies investigating efficacies of Shosaikoto and Orento for the treatment of cryptogenic stomatitis and acute aphthous stomatitis and those investigating the effects of Hangeshashinto, Orengedokuto, and Juzentaihoto on chemotherapy- or radiotherapy-induced mucositis have been conducted. The Kampo formulae comprise several crude drugs, whose mechanisms of action are gradually being clarified. Most of these drugs that are used for the treatment of stomatitis possess anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidative properties. In this review, we introduce the clinical applications and summarize the available evidence on the Kampo formulae for the treatment of stomatitis and oral mucositis.

Keywords: Hangeshashinto; kampo formula; mucositis; stomatitis; traditional Japanese herbal medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Kampo formulae frequently used for the treatment of stomatitis [4]. The trends in the use of the Kampo formulae at hospitals and faculties of oral surgery of dental/medical universities in Japan were surveyed. A total of 55 hospitals participated in the survey and rated the frequency of Kampo formulae use via a scale from 0 to 3. This graphic summarizes the results of rating.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The effects of Hangeshashinto (HST) and the crude drugs on chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced mucositis. HST exerts antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulatory, and analgesic effects. Moreover, HST is able to control the symptoms and simultaneously eliminate the underlying causes of the condition. PGE2; prostaglandin E2. COX-2; cyclooxygenase-2.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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